Salt for salt tanks?

[fwprawn]

I cannot find my old thread - but I wanted to know if I can use the cheap salt sold in blue cardboard cans at food stores, for "making" saltwater? If so, which "type" is okay to use?

Also, is there a good rule of thumb for how much salt per gallon, for your typical PetCo saltwater fish ?

The salt tank is just a VERY basic one, for my preschool classroom - nothing fancy, or sensitive will be kept.

I would use ocean water locally, but I don't want to collect fresh seawater in the winter!

Thanks in advance!

 

[rwellbaum]

instant ocean salt is the best to use
it is a good idea to get a salinity hydrometer gauge to test the salinity of your water

 

[fwprawn]

I will be using a hydrometer - to get the salinity where it should be, depending on what the store's water is at - but I'm trying not to spend a lot of money on this project, since my freshwater tanks are the main expense. So, I'd like to see if the cheap $1 blue cans are okay.

 

[rwellbaum]

yeah i understand
i really don't know i have always used instant ocean lol

 

[Tyler2012]

3 cups per 10 gallons


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[bassfisher91]

I would just buy the stuff meant for salt tanks since it buffers the water to a specific ph and has other ions in it as well. Sea water is more than simply NaCl water and the other stuff makes a difference. The buffering capacity is the biggest thing though...table salt won't do anything in that sense.

 

[fwprawn]

Thanks, guys!